1
RimWorld
Ludeon Studios · 2018
87Score
A colony-survival sim and story generator with endless emergent drama.
Solo
Meta87
OC86
The Best Survival games, Ranked
Survival games turn empty wilderness into a personal project: chop, mine, craft, and fortify against whatever the night throws at you. Whether you play solo or with a crew, these are the best survival and crafting games, ranked by combined Metacritic and OpenCritic critic scores.
12 games rankedGenre avg. score 80Updated June 2026
Play mode
Showing 12 of 12 games
2
Subnautica
Unknown Worlds · 2018
86Score
Underwater survival with genuine dread and wonder: the gold standard for atmosphere in the genre.
Solo
Meta87
OC84
3
Valheim
Iron Gate Studio · 2021
86Score
Viking survival with the tightest co-op loop around, and a 1.0 Deep North launch landing September 2026.
SoloCo-opOnline
Meta86
OC85
4
V Rising
Stunlock Studios · 2024
84Score
Vampire survival-action with castle-building and bloody, gear-driven boss hunts.
SoloCo-opOnlinePvP
Meta85
OC83
5
Terraria
Re-Logic · 2011
83Score
A 2D sandbox of near-endless depth that keeps getting bigger with free content a decade later.
SoloCo-opOnline
Meta86
OC79
6
Sons of the Forest
Endnight Games · 2024
82Score
Cannibal-infested island survival with a brilliant AI companion and genuine horror.
SoloCo-opOnline
Meta86
OC78
7
Grounded
Obsidian · 2022
82Score
Honey-I-shrunk-the-kids survival that turns a backyard into a sprawling, dangerous biome.
SoloCo-opOnline
Meta82
OC82
8
Green Hell
Creepy Jar · 2019
79Score
Brutally realistic Amazon survival that tracks every cut, infection, and ounce of sanity.
SoloCo-opOnline
Meta79
OC79
9
Enshrouded
Keen Games · 2024
78Score
Voxel survival-RPG with the best freeform building system to arrive in years.
SoloCo-opOnline
Meta78
OC77
10
Palworld
Pocketpair · 2024
73Score
Creature-collecting meets base-building and automation: the breakout survival hit of 2024.
SoloCo-opOnline
Meta75
OC71
11
No Man's Sky
Hello Games · 2016
71Score
A rocky launch transformed by years of free updates into a vast space-survival sandbox.
SoloCo-opOnline
Meta71
OC71
12
ARK: Survival Evolved
Studio Wildcard · 2017
66Score
Tame dinosaurs, build tribes, and wage war: the maximalist survival sandbox.
SoloCo-opOnlinePvP
Meta70
OC61
How we rank
Every game gets a single HostedGG Score: a weighted blend of the two leading review aggregators, so no single outlet decides the result.
- Metacritic · 55%
- OpenCritic · 45%
Critic scores were verified against Metacritic and OpenCritic in June 2026. OpenCritic launched in 2015, so a few older classics have no OpenCritic average; for those the score uses the Metacritic number on its own. This is an independent editorial ranking, and no game pays for placement.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best survival game right now?
By combined critic score, Subnautica leads, with RimWorld and Valheim close behind. Valheim is especially worth jumping into ahead of its Deep North 1.0 launch on September 9, 2026.
What is the best co-op survival game?
Valheim, Grounded, and Sons of the Forest are the standouts for group play, all built around shared worlds your friends can join anytime.
Are these survival games good solo?
Yes. Subnautica and RimWorld are superb single-player experiences, and most others scale difficulty so solo runs stay fair.
Explore more rankings
Best RPGsSprawling worlds, deep builds, and stories that stick with you.Best ShootersTight gunplay, killer level design, and that perfect headshot feel.Best Strategy gamesOut-think, out-build, and out-maneuver, turn by turn or in real time.Best Open-world gamesVast maps worth getting lost in, packed with things to do.Best RoguelikesRun-based runs, permadeath, and just one more attempt.Best Co-op gamesThe best games to play with friends, from couch to online.Best Horror gamesSurvival horror, psychological dread, and things best not faced alone.Best SoulslikesPunishing combat, deliberate pacing, and hard-won victories.Best MetroidvaniasInterconnected maps, ability-gated secrets, and that next upgrade.
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